Walking at Quarter of Two with Miranda
by Bellatrix's Weightless Tears
Summary: Andy is packing, she receives somebody with coiffed white waves visiting her, wanting to start over again
1. Chapter 1

Walking a Quarter of Two with Miranda

Andrea hadn't left Paris just yet, she hadn't been able to get a flight back, not until tomorrow morning, she was really hoping the airline would just give her a break, but no such luck, and she couldn't in all honesty justify paying an upgrade to business class on her parents emergency joint account just because she wanted to flee Miranda.

Earlier, after walking away and seeing how she had five voice mails from her, Andrea had half expected Miranda Priestly, her boss from hell to have her ousted from her room, but now a silent Miranda was even more unpredictable to navigate.

Packing her stuff, rolling up a pair of fleece jogging pants, Andy had got into dark jeans and a slouchy sweater, moving around her suite in bare toes, taking off the hanger, her black dress she'd been in today, she'd have to ask Nigel in the morning, if she'd need to return it, via French Runway.

She'd get the hotel to dry clean it and messaged to Runway.

On her bed, she flicked through its pages, disappointed washing over her.

It was stupid of her.

Glancing at the guide book's cover, she'd bought it, but how in the world did she even think she could have any time with working for her boss, to go to the Louvre and see the art.

Maybe next time in Paris, when she had a real writing job, she actually have experiences getting to know it, the real Paris.

A knock on her door, made Andrea drop the book onto her bed.

Andrea crossed the room, it was late, maybe Nigel got her teary voice mail she left early in the day, in the hour after she left Miranda on the steps, Andy just took a slow walk back to the hotel, just to get her out of her head, thinking about everything, Nate, her friends and even her sister saying she'd changed, she defended herself to Nate, and to Lily and even Doug thought the same, she hadn't, she just was reshaping to be more than just little Andy Sachs from Ohio.

Nate had implied, Miranda was her whole life, that was fucking ridiculous, Miranda Priestly wasn't her everything, sure she assisted her and had to anticipate Miranda's needs, but she wasn't in love with her, Nate really pissed her off, saying otherwise, that she was why he had to go to Boston, telling her to sort herself out with what she felt for Miranda.

Andy dug her toes into the carpet, she was not and never had been in love with Miranda, opening the door, without looking, standing there was Miranda Priestly in her doorway.

Miranda pressed her lips together. Softly she spoke, her eyes holding Andrea's brown ones. "I hope I can talk you back in forgiving me."


	2. Chapter 2

Walking at Quarter of Two with Miranda Part 2

Miranda was packing for home, here in her luxury suite in Paris, everything that was Miranda Priestly was neatly contained in five half packed Louis Vuitton pieces of luggage, all Miranda was doing as she folded her wardrobe was think of _her _. . .

Clearly the silly girl with lofty morals judging her could only be considered insane.

Andrea, that girl made an absolute fool of her, she hoped Andrea was tied up in tangles, no doubt home now in New York in her downtown apartment or perhaps Andrea decidedly ran back home, to where was it? Yes recalling now, boring Ohio she came from, Miranda had heard her once talk on and on about her home state's countless virtues and her words about her treacly hometown to Emily as she heard her while sitting at her desk, the girl was clearly not as clever as she seemed, Miranda would as soon as she arrived back in Manhattan, ensure personally (and viciously) that Andrea's future in publishing would never happen.

Andrea was always hard to steer. Why wouldn't she break first?

Miranda had tried to compliment her in the car. Compared her to herself that was something she thought Andrea would like to hear.

It was a meant as a sincere compliment, few ever measured up to herself.

That was exceptional words of praise from Miranda Priestly.

Seeing now, Andrea _was nothing like her._

Miranda had hoped Andrea had something different about her. A drive that could be molded.

Choosing her over Emily, was a big miscalculation on her part. That thought of being wrong about anything making her blue eyes narrow.

She should have listened to her gut, the moment she locked eyes with hers.

Andrea was a challenge. Standing before her with such an adorable little speech that made her hire her.

Yet, Andrea Sachs didn't come with a warning light over her head, did she?

Unpolished, an unfashionable alien amoebae, starting out in the job, Miranda saw how the sweet gentle eyed brunette was seeking her approval.

Miranda was not going to be all coddle and praises to her because she could follow an Outlook diary and paperclip a memo and answer a phone all at the same time.

Not ever to the new to the city graduate.

That damn brown eyed never published in anything except an infantile Northwestern college paper rag, judging her, _her_, Miranda Priestly, seen as less.

Less!

Less, by a quirky and once woefully unstylish _child _and despite her trying to break Andrea every morning with her less than agreeable attitude and coats tossing, Andrea was disgustingly nice with that big smile of hers given to her daily and the daily charming all in the office sometimes even her . . .

Lip curling, no Andrea Sachs did not charm her.

She smiled too brightly like some type of stoned Disney World employee.

What the hell had Andrea been doing or thinking leaving her like that?

In the middle of an important event, after she'd barely kept a hold of Runway from Irv, Andrea Sachs from Ohio decided to just up and go.

No other assistant would dare.

Not one would ever contemplate resigning in the middle of fashion week. Except, Andrea.

Leaving her there on the steps and just walking away from her.

She'd turned back searching for her, worried for a moment in a raw panic to where was Andrea? Was she lost in the paparazzi?

Searching for her and finding her across the street, near a fountain, and just like that the girl was gone.

She just walked away from her.

It actually hurt.

More than Stephen's faxed papers for ending their disaster of a marriage did, which was a strange thing to Miranda tonight.

She was equally seething about Andrea and her husband well now ex-husband simountaneously.

Folding a blouse, smoothing at its delicate silk, Miranda crossed the suite to get her date planner, Andrea had tried to suggest it be digital, Miranda adamantly refused, she liked the feeling of paper, sighing out, she had a full morning until her flight lifted off from Paris tomorrow, turning the pages to her Bobbsey's school holidays, Miranda's hand stilled on it.

Picking up the envelope with her name scrawled on it in familiar loopy writing of _hers._

It was her resignation letter.

Crumpling it up, she in all honesty, she didn't want to read Andrea's resignation this late at night.

Feeling the crumpled note in her robe pocket. Set on one thing, she was going to make Andrea who hadn't been smart enough to flee Paris, pay.

Andrea and National Enquirer sounded good. No Birds & Blooms.

Miranda's suite door was knocked on, crossing in her robe, opening it to Nigel.

"Miranda you need to hear this."

Pressing his voice mail and speaker.


	3. Chapter 3

Walking 3

Miranda saw Andrea visibly swallow, "May I come in, or do you desire for me to make my apology out here in the hall."

Andy stepped back, her face flushing, Miranda stepped inside, brushing past her, she smelled the same scent of roses and something else, a scent Andy's nose could never decipher.

It was uniquely Miranda.

"Would you like some water?" Andy babbled out and continued doing so.

"I think they have some artisanal water, I can call room service for Pellegrino for you. There's other choices in the room menu. Or do you want a coffee, let me give them call."

Reaching for the menu.

"No. I don't require libations at this moment, Andrea."

Miranda shook her head, running a few fingers through her white wave. "Andrea, I came to talk, not see you practice being a future cocktail waitress."

Deflating, she just had never had Miranda so close to her, and not doing errands or lists for her, not knowing exactly what to do with Miranda, near her.

Miranda settled herself into a chair, Andy's room wasn't anything like her suite.

It did have an amazing snacks minibar though, and room service that made a phenomenal Croque Monsieur, Andy was something of an expert on good grilled cheese, she'd ordered two and sent a snap to her sister in Georgia, deciding also the bed was the best mattress she'd ever slept on, she really wanted to know what brand, the mattress was, noticing a wave of hand at her as she was motioned to sit across from her.

Andy sat, on the bed, watching Miranda, sitting rigid with her hands splayed on her knees.

Miranda was in jeans . . . jeans. Andy had to just stare, Miranda Priestly in black denim and a off the shoulder black cowl neck turtleneck.

"Nigel let me hear your left message. Do you really think that is how I see you, Andrea?"

Andy looked at Miranda, really looked at her. They'd never in all this time together, just looked at each other.

"Yes." Her eyes lowered.

"Andrea, look at me."

Meeting eyes of blue. Lasering into her.

It felt like hours, Miranda just staring at her. Andy read a book once, that a study of looking at someone for 5 minutes without words was hard to do.

Miranda broke the silence.

"I don't see you ever like that and I want you to know this, I rarely say this to anyone least of all to my assistant, _you_…you matter to me."

Mattered to Miranda Priestly.

She mattered to Miranda, _oh boy,_ Miranda's mouth thinned. "And that's why I have to let you go. Especially now. You're the best assistant I've ever had, _yes you_, Andrea. That is precisely, why you need to move on. To write, that's what you want, isn't it?"

Andy blinked. Of course, she wanted to write, writing was her air, to have a chance given, to finally use her research skills and journalism degree for once, yet this decision, Miranda made, saying she was her best assistant and what exactly did she mean, she had to let her go.

Why?

Miranda got up and leaned closer to Andrea, whose eyes were so expressive, too expressive, almost caught up in them, Miranda without noticing, slipped her hand into hers.

Given it a reassuring squeeze.

Andrea stilled, Miranda had her hand in hers.

"Don't you see Andrea, you've got enough of me, that you could do damage to me."

Andrea's brows furrowed. Got enough of her. What in the hell did that exactly mean? Do damage to Miranda, how?

Was Miranda kind, supportive or pleasant as her boss. No, she was none of things ever.

Miranda was aloof, rude, acerbic, enjoyed sadist crucifying choices brought to her by poor Paul and Jocelynn, yet then there were moments Andy saw she could actually smile, only at the twins though, and once to Lucia's baby, Lucia had to one time, bring her baby in to the office, it was a wonder Miranda allowed it, yet she had, of course, snidely telling Andrea, to help Lucia set up the stroller least the infant end napping in a file cabinet, Andy had caught a small soft smile for a second, and Miranda sent flowers with precise thought to what they meant.

She was an expert on the meaning of flowers.

She never raised her voice, it was always soft and even. And terrifying. Staring at her mouth. Andy studied her boss closer, she must've have always been something to look at.

When Miranda wasn't having a snit-fit, she was quite stunning. She had beautiful eyes of blue.

Oblivious, Miranda hadn't noticed Andy transfixed with her.

"Andrea, you need to do this, to be free, now instead of firing you, as I should've hours ago." Miranda's tone conveyed, with her sharpness what she felt about Andrea's reckless afternoon absconding activity.

" I'm going to let you have two weeks' notice, so you won't have a docked salary, your package if you resign, stipulates you'll receive that, only if you do that, don't you understand Andrea, I'm trying to help you, in even this, because you mean everything to mm. . .

Cut off by Andrea's lips.


	4. Chapter 4

She shouldn't have done it.

Andy felt it, what Nate told her was there, that she'd denied repeatedly to Nate, yet why in the hell did Miranda push her away, and her eyes. Shit, she was in deep trouble.

Andy knew instinctively Miranda reacted to it, but then she'd just stilled against her lips and was moving away and putting a distance between them.

Had she really screwed all of this up, by Miranda's eyes, looking at her like that, she might have done just that.

Miranda was only just staring at her.

It was unnerving.

How she was looking at her.

Why hadn't she just given Miranda a hug, no Andy reprimanded herself, she couldn't go all Sachs warmth that she'd inherited from her Mom, and give out a full hug, no she had to lose her mind completely and go all in and kiss her boss.

Her boss who was not the huggable type, let a known, the planting a kiss on her type.

Andy before the kiss, couldn't even imagine Miranda Priestly the pod person kissing or even having sex, that image bobbing around her head, now made her blush.

Miranda had smooth soft lips, kissing her was so different to Nate, of course, Nate's kissing her didn't do anything like that kiss did to her.

Sure, Miranda was probably going to verbally eviscerate her.

Miranda was her boss. Technically not anymore, so Andy's lips could transgress hers with no employment ramifications, but personally Miranda's reputation in being who she was, could do damage.

Missing a Lagerfeld's call cost someone a job at TV guide, what would kissing her like that, cost her?

Probably the National Enquirer.

Miranda up until the kiss was being a relatively reasonable boss, and she was letting her take two weeks' notice, not blackballing her from publishing with what she did, walking away from her.

"I…I'm sorry." Andy wasn't sorry for kissing Miranda, but just in case she'd made Miranda cationic, she wanted to offer an apology.

Miranda only just remained silent, it was like her silence was a hurricane against Andy.

Was Miranda disgusted by her kiss? Miranda was married, well technically not now.

Stephen and she were divorcing, Andy had been told that, when she'd been going over seat placing, Miranda had told her so.

"Don't be." Miranda softly spoke, she'd been touching her mouth, yet her face was impassive. Miranda to Andrea was always unreadable.

"Andrea, can you do something for me?" Miranda started moving closer to her proximity, so they were inches apart.

Andy nodded, she almost blurted out "Anything."

"Spend tonight with me." Miranda took her hand in hers and kissed her inside wrist, stopping her kiss to Andrea's pulse, lifting her white haired head. "Don't you want to know the whole of me?"

Seeing Andy's suprasternal notch clench, and a swallow visible, she made Andrea nervous, that was good.

Wait, what exactly was Miranda offering to her. She didn't mean, did she mean . . .

Was Miranda turning the tables on her, winding her up, making a joke.

She had to be joking.

Shaking that thought off instantly, Miranda Priestly did not joke around, she was very stoic and quiet, also she was gentle in how she handled fabric between her fingers and probably never knew Andy saw in her eyes what she felt for Caroline and Cassidy.

"Come now, Andrea, are you ready or not, to know all of me." Blue eyes held hers, stroking her open palm, "It's a yes or no question, Andrea, I'm waiting."

Andy breathed it out, slow and a little unsteady and off balance now. Miranda had a talent for doing that.

"Yes."

Miranda kissed her inner palm, her eyes flickered up, holding hers.

Feeling Miranda's tongue meeting her palm intimately, oh what was she agreeing to, to spend a night with Miranda.


	5. Chapter 5

Miranda wanted her. Andy couldn't help but swallow again, Miranda Priestly wanted her.

Scanning Miranda's face carefully, this wasn't some joke, Miranda was looking at her in a way, she'd never seen before, it was desire.

Andy sunk into the bed, still sitting on it as she slowly went to lift her sweater off, and taking Miranda's hand to her bra, as Miranda's palms stopped hers.

"_No_, Andrea not so fast. We will do that, but not yet. I promise you, I will make love to you and it will _be perfect_." A small almost sly smile formed as she spoke this to her, her fingers feathering Andy's face.

Stroking Andrea's cheekbone, as blue eyes fell on it, lifting its spine, reading the title, Miranda's sharp eyes flickered over it, then lifting to meet gentle dark brown, "I suppose you didn't get to make use of this?"

Andy flushed. Shaking her head, since arriving, she'd been on the go, doing everything for Miranda. With Miranda's busy itinerary and making sure the suite had everything but freesia in it.

"No."

"I suspect a boss, kept you from seeing even a bit of Paris."

Andy felt bolder. "Yes, she's very demanding, I find."

"You don't say, what a terrible employer. She must be just impossible." Miranda's eyes of gray blue sparkled on hers. Holding Andrea's fondly.

Her long fingers, splayed flicking through it, "No, that's closed. This is out of date information. This isn't the real Paris, this is a terrible guide," shutting it. "Andrea, do you want to see a little of this city with me?"

Andy agreed, it was only midnight.

This was what Andrea wanted, her time away, although not a holiday really, a working trip if she was honest, yet not until now, in a city of lights and such history, did she feel like she was really on a holiday in Paris, Miranda being Miranda had cryptically only said to give her twenty minutes and meet her downstairs in the lobby.

Miranda said she'd make a call. That she'd arrange everything.

Andy still blinked at hearing that. Miranda normally got her or Emily to do things.

Only, rarely did she do something herself and it was usually for Caroline and Cassidy.

Andy slipped on her cashmere black coat she'd needed and bought for winter at Saks, Nate had only remarked what was wrong with her old one from college, she'd said she couldn't wear that representing Runway.

Grabbing a black ballcap, stuffing her hotel keycard in her pocket, ready for anything with Miranda, taking the elevator down, as it was late, no one was around except those at the front desk and a doorman, seeing Miranda waiting there, for her, Andy came up to her, both just looking at each other, Andy took her hand, "Well show me around, like you promised me. I'm waiting."

Giving Miranda a grin.

"Andrea, what is_ that_?" Blue eyes narrowing on it.

Andy touched her cap, self-consciously.

Miranda mouthed. "Off."

Andy took it off. She just thought they'd be walking, and her ears may get cold.

"Why on earth are you hiding your lovely hair like that." Miranda stood her ground, leaving the ball cap with the front desk.

"Now, shall we."

Miranda's black gloved fingers grazed and then touched hers, and now was clasping her hand in hers as they slipped into a private Mercedes car waiting.

Andy leaned into the heated leather seats, having no idea where they were headed, but just trusting Miranda beside her.


End file.
